End comes for Benicia restaurant despite help from Food Network

BENICIA -- Despite a brief resuscitation by Food Network's "Restaurant: Impossible," ailing Pappas restaurant on East Second Street has closed.

Its last day of business was Sunday, 78-year-old owner Mike Anastasios said.

"We appreciate the support that our customers from Vallejo and Benicia have given us for 23 years," Anastasios said, also thanking his staff for their years of service.

The restaurant opened as Pappas Family Restaurant in 1990 at the Southampton Shopping Center. In 1996, it moved to its current location near the Interstate 780 on-ramp.

Anastasios, a retired Bank of the West executive, said the restaurant has struggled in recent years because of the economic downturn. He added that an effort to sell the building and lease it back fell through.

The restaurant served a mix of American and Mediterranean cuisine. Anastasios ran the business with his sons Nicholas and Andreas and daughter-in-law Lori. The staff was notified of the decision last week.

Last year, the restaurant was featured on the Food Network series in which British chef Robert Irvine attempts to rescue struggling eateries in 48 hours on a $10,000 budget.

However, Anastasios said the new decor and menu changes weren't enough to save the business. The novelty soon wore off, he said, and some loyal customers were upset that their favorite dishes were no longer being served.